Reversible crib



NOV. 11,A 1952 A G, CHATLOS 2,617,121

REVERSIBLE CRIB Filed Oct. 18, 1949 Lw si A-,Q4

Snventor Gttornegs Patented Nov. 11, Y1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE REVERSIBLE CRIB Andrew G; Chatlos, Bridgeport, Conn.

Application October 18, 1949, Serial No. 121,939

9 Claims. 1 This invention relates to bed and particularly to toy cribs convertible to cradles.

Previous devices in the nature of convertible beds have, in some cases, required the making of'l complex adjustments in order to change the bed from one form to another. Under other circumstances, where conversion could be brought about merely by inverting the article, the proportions were such as to provide a horizontal body support, the elevation of which was unnaturally high in either position.

It is an object of this invention therefore to provide a convertible bed in which the conversion can be brought about by merely inverting the same, and in which the horizontal body support will be so adjusted to a relatively low level for either position of the bed that the center of gravity will be appropriately disposed in the usual low position. n

It is another object of the invention to provide a bed convertible from one form to another by merly rotating the same about its longitudinal axis, and in which adjustment of the horizontal body support from one position to another relative to the bed frame occurs automatically in response to said rotation.

Other features and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure l represents a side elevation of a bed according to the invention.

Fig. 2 is a section taken on line 2-2 of Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a section similar to Fig. 2 but showing the bed in inverted position.

Fig. 4 is a plan of a skeleton framework which forms part of the body support of the bed of Figs. 1 to 3.

The bed of this invention is intended primarily for use as a toy, i. e. a doll bed or crib, although the same is not necessarily limited to such use and is designed particularly to provide a bed which can be used at one time as a stationaryV crib and at another time as a rockable cradle without the necessity for two distinct structures. It will be readily appreciated, however, that the principles of the invention disclosed herein include application of the structure shown to any bed which is convertible from one form to another in response to a change in position thereof relative to the vertical.

The bed of this invention consists of a frame ID which includes vertical head and foot elements l2 and I4 respectively, which are substantially the same in outline. Side members I6 extend between the head and foot elements I2 and M and are rigidly connected therewith at their ends to complete the frame lil. Preferably the side members are ofsubstantial width occupying at least one-third of the height of said head` and foot elements I2 and it, and disposed soithatl their points of connection with either of4 said elements are about equally spaced from the top and bottom thereof. The side members i6' each include two or more vertical bars I8, and in the preferred form shown are made up of upper and lower rails 2@ connected to and spaced by a plurality of said bars l 8.

The horizontal body support 2| which corresponds to the spring and matttress of the usual bed may be a panel or made up of a skeleton framework 22 consisting of slats 24, 26 and 28 crossed and secured together in the manner shown in Fig. 4. The skeleton framework 22 may be used as an underlying support for holding a separate mattress, or is preferably covered with padding material 36 and encased in a tick 32 as shown in Figs. 1 to 3, so asv to act itself in the capacity of a mattress. When covered with padding 30 and ticking 32, the same are' prefer'- ably disposed so as to cover both surfaces of the skeleton framework 22 for reasons that will hereinafter appear. Projecting laterally from the sides of the skeleton framework and outside of any covering 32 which may be used thereon are" the ends of slats 28 which are provided with open'- ings 34 positioned to cooperate with four of the bars It which act as Vertical guides therefor. The horizontal body support 2| consisting of skeleton framework 22 and covering materialv 3E),`

32 if used, is placed in the framework I0 and so arranged that a vertical bar i8 passes through each of the openings Sil and acts as a guide'therefor, so that the body support 2l is freely slidable in a vertical direction on the' framework.l

Each of the members |2 and Il preferably has dierent configurations on its top and bottom edges, the configurations of the corresponding` edges being substantially the same, whereby the'- bed can be used ina plurality of positions; For

example, as shown in Fig. 2, head element I2' is shown as formed with feet 36 at the bottom'and4 The foot a smoothly curved upper surface 38; elementV I4 is similarly shaped.

When the bed is being used in the position ofA Fig. 2, the feet 36 rest on the supporting'surface so that the bed is stationary and can be used asa crib, the side members I'i acting as the usual crib barriers and the body support positioned at the bottom of the barriers. When the'bed is rotated about its longitudinal axis to invertedlposition as shown in Fig. 3, however, the edges 38 will act as rockers and the device then becomes a cradle. It will be seen that in the act of inverting the bed the horizontal body support shifts automatically, due to the force of gravity, from one end of the vertical guide bars I8 to the other, with the ends of the slats 28 being stopped by and resting against the rails 20. In this way, no matter whether the bed is being used in the upright crib position or in the inverted cradle position, the horizontal body support is disposed at an appropriate level such that the center of gravity of the assembly is in the normal low position and the bed will not be readily tipped over. Furthermore, the structure of the device is such that the fixed side members IG are permitted to serve as the usual barriers for the occupant in either position of the bed. Likewise, the horizontal body support 2l is padded and covered on both surfaces to act as a mattress in either adjusted position of the bed.

Variations and modications may be made within the scope of the claims and portions of the improvements may be used without others.

I claim:

1. A bed comprising a frame including head and foot elements and means extending between and connected to said elements for holding the same in spaced relation, said frame being rotatable to a plurality of positions about a longitudinal, horizontal axis; and a horizontal body support freely and movably connected with said frame for automatically shifting to different operative positions thereon by gravity in response to rotation of said frame about said axis.

2. A bed comprising a frame including head and foot elements and means extending between and connected to said elements for holding the same in spaced relation; and a horizontal body support freely and self-actingly movably connected with said frame so as to be disposable in a plurality of operative vertical positions with respect thereto, when the frame is disposed in a corresponding plurality of operative vertical positions.

3. A crib structure convertible to a cradle by inverting the same comprising a frame including head and foot elements and means extending between and connected to said elements for holding the same in spaced relation, said elements being shaped at their bottom edges to provide a stationary support for said frame on a flat supporting surface, and being shaped at their top edges to provide a rocking support for said frame on said surface; and a horizontal body support freely and movably connected with said frame so as to be automatically disposable in diierent vertical operative positions thereon corresponding to the erect and inverted positions of said frame.

4. A crib structure automatically convertible to a cradle by merely inverting the same comprising a frame including head and foot elements and means extending between and connected to said elements for holding the same in spaced relation, said elements being shaped at their bottom edges to provide a stationary support for said frame on a flat supporting surface, and being shaped at their top edges to provide a rocking support for said frame on said surface; a horizontal body support slidably mounted on said frame for vertical movement thereon; and stop means on said frame positioned in the path of said body support for determining the limits of said sliding movement.

5. A crib structure convertible to a cradle by inverting the same comprising a frame including head and foot elements and means extending between and connected to said elements for holding the same in spaced relation, said means including vertical guides, and said elements being shaped at their bottom edges to provide a stationary support for said frame on a flat supporting surface, and being shaped at their top edges to provide a rocking support for said frame on said surface; and a horizontal body support provided with means engaging and coacting with said guides to freely and slidably mount said body support for vertical self-acting movement on said frame, upon inverting the structure, whereby said body support automatically assumes different positions on the guides and is prevented from falling out of the frame by said guides.

6. A crib structure convertible to a cradle by inverting the same comprising a frame including head and foot elements and means extending between and connected to said elements for holding the same in spaced relation, said means including vertical guide bars, and said elements being shaped at their bottom edges to provide a stationary support for said frame on a flat supporting surface, and being shaped at their top edges to provide a rocking support for said frame on said surface; a horizontal body support provided with openings receiving said guide bars and mounting said body support thereon for free sliding movement therealong and preventing said body support from falling out of the frame; and stop means mounted at the ends of said guide bars to determine the limits of said sliding movement, said parts being arranged so that said body support slides to one end or the other of said bars automatically in response to inversion or erection of said frame.

7. A crib structure convertible to a cradle by inverting the same comprising a frame including head and foot elements and means extending between and connected to said elements for holding the same in spaced relation, said means including vertical guide bars, and said elements being shaped at their bottom edges to provide a stationary support for said frame on a flat supporting surface, and being shaped at their top edges to provide a rocking support for said frame on said surface; a horizontal body support provided with openings receiving said guide bars and mounting said body support thereon for free sliding movement therealong and preventing said body support from falling out of the frame; stop means mounted at the ends of said guide bars to determine the limits of said sliding movement, said body support and bars being arranged so that said body support slides to one end or the other of said bars automatically in response to inversion or erection of said frame; and means located on both sides of said horizontal body support to provide an upper padded surface thereon in both the inverted and erect positions of said frame.

8. A crib structure convertible to a cradle by inverting the same comprising a frame including head and foot elements and means extending between and connected to said elements for holding the same in spaced relation, said means including vertical guides, and said elements being shaped at their bottom edges to provide a stationary support for said frame on a flat supporting surface, and being shaped at their top edges to provide a rocking support for said frame on said surface; a horizontal body support provided with means engaging and coacting with said guides to slidably mount said body support for vertical movement on said frame, whereby said body support is prevented from falling out of the frame; and means located on both sides of said horizontal body support to provide an upper padded surface thereon in both the inverted and erect positions of said frame.

9. In a convertible crib and cradle, separated end members each having one curved supporting surface and a reverse supporting surface with transversely spaced foot portions, side members each comprising upper and lower side rails connecting said end members, said side members having vertical side bars mounted between said upper and lower rails, a mattress frame supported on said side rails in either position of said end members, said frame being held from displacement by said side bars and being freely slidable vertically between the upper and lower side rails when the article of furniture is inverted, the mart- `tress frame having portions thereof extending over the side rails on which said frame is supported and said portions having openings to vloosely receive the bars in said side rails after assembly of a prefabricated mattress frame with a pair of side members.

ANDREW G. CHATLOS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

l UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 115,042 Eaton May 23, 1871 244,073 Powers July 12, 1881 826,332 Hayden July 17, 1906 1,383,727 Kohn July 5, 1921 20 2,447,722 Webb Aug. 24, 1948 

